Study Guide

Objective

The student
- can define the concepts of palliative care, knows the levels of palliative care, and the service system.
- identifies the patient's need for palliative care or end of life care.
- knows how to implement symptomatic palliative care and end of life care in a multi-professional manner.
- knows how to deal with a dying patient and his or her next-of-kin holistically, in a family-oriented manner and taking into account individual needs.

Content

- Palliative care and end of life care; key concepts, values, principles and organization of treatment in Finland
- Ethical and legal matters of palliative care and end of life care
- Identifying the need for palliative or end of life care
- Anticipatory care plan for the end of life, patient`s will about care
- Identifying suffering
- Identification, assessment and treatment of pain
- Respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, oral symptoms, loss of appetite, abnormal fatigue, itching and other skin symptoms, sweating, urinary symptoms, delirium, anxiety and depression
- Signs of approaching death and post-death care
- Encountering and supporting the dying patient and his/her next-of-kin in a family-oriented way.
- Knowing the changes in communication caused by the disease and supporting them
- Grief, crisis and hope in palliative care and end of life care
- Existential, mental and spiritual support
- Psycho-social support
- Culture sensitivity in palliative care
- Acting as a registered nurse in palliative care and end of life care
- Multiprofessionalism in palliative care

Qualifications

Basics of Clinical Nursing
Drug Care and Drug Calculations

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

1-2
The student
- can search for information on palliative care from information sources, but the application of this information to nursing work is incomplete.
- demonstrates familiarity with the knowledge base of palliative care, but is unable to justify his/her actions.
- demonstrates sufficient knowledge of palliative care to be able to act in professional situations.
- is able to act in a patient-safe manner when caring for a palliative patient/client.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

3-4
The student
- can search for information on palliative care and justify the use of information sources.
- use the nursing knowledge base consistently in palliative care nursing.
- justify action using evidence-based knowledge in palliative care.
- apply professional knowledge in a range of client-centred palliative care situations.
- can act in a client-centred, responsible, ethical and patient-safe manner in client-centred palliative care.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

5
The student
- can apply palliative care concepts and knowledge fluently and comprehensively.
- can evaluate and use evidence-based knowledge in palliative care.
- can assess the consequences of their actions in palliative care.
- can act in a client-oriented, responsible and patient-safe manner in palliative care and act consistently in accordance with ethical principles and laws.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Fail = 0
The student
- inadequately uses the palliative care knowledge base.
- inadequately justifies palliative care activities.
- inadequately applies palliative care knowledge.
- is not able to act in a sufficiently client-oriented and patient-safe manner in palliative care.
- has inadequate professional decision-making skills in palliative care.
- does not take sufficient account of professional safety and ethical principles in palliative care practice.
- has inadequate capacity to develop palliative care nursing practice.

Materials

Kirjallisuus
Saarto, T., Hänninen, J., Antikainen, R., Vainio, A., & Aaltonen, M. (toim.) (2015). Palliatiivinen hoito. Duodecim.